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Tony Greig
Anthony William "Tony" Greig (6 October 1946-29 December 2012) was an England Test cricket captainwho turned into a Commentator. Born in South Africa, Greig qualified to play for the English national team by virtue of his scotish parentage. He was a tall (6 ft 6 in 1.98m) batting all-rounder who bowled both medium pace and off spin. Greig was captain of England from 1975 to 1977, and also captained Sussex. His younger brother, Ian, also played Test cricket, while several other members of his extended family played at First Class Cricket. A leading player in English county cricket, Greig is thought by some former players and pundits to have been one of England's leading international all-rounders.Greg Chappell: "He wouldn't have made it as a bowler or batsman, but his determination made him a top all-rounder", Tossell, .Derek Underwood "... you never hear of him mentioned as being a top-quality cricketer, but he was." Tossell, John Snow "... he was as good an all-rounder as Freddie Flintoff, if not better." Tossell, He helped Kerry Packer start World Series Cricket by signing up many of his English colleagues as well as West Indian and Pakistani cricketers, a move which cost him the England captaincy. He is also noted for a controversial run-out of Alvin Kallicharran in a Test Match against the West Indies in 1974, and often clashed with Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee on the 1974–75 Ashes Tour in Australia. His infamous "grovel" statement in the lead-up to the 1976 tour of England by the West Indies was met with severe criticism. Greig became a commentator following the end of his playing career, later emigrating to Australia. A long-term sufferer from epilepsy, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in October 2012 Greig died in Sydney,Australia, on 29 December 2012, aged 66, from cardiac arrest due to an apparent heart attack. Early life and career Greig was born to a Scottish immigrant father and a South African-born mother, and was educated at Queen's College, Queenstown, South Africa. Many former Sussex players had been recruited to coach the cricket team at Queen's College—during Greig's schooldays, Jack Oakes, Alan Oakman, Ian Thomson, Ron Bell, Richard Langridge and Mike Buss all came from overseas for off-season work. All of them noticed Greig's developing abilities which, after a first-class debut for Border Province in the Currie Cup, led to a trial at Sussex when Greig was 19. Greig's father helped him decide between university study or pursuit of the Sussex offer. "He used to slam into me for not reading enough, for being generally immature. He would look at me sometimes and say 'Boy, when I was your age I was fighting a war', but in the end he grinned and said: 'Go over to England for one year, one year mind, and see what you can do'". When Greig scored 156 in 230 minutes against a strong Lancashire attack in his first game for Sussex, his future direction changed irrevocably. Category:Border cricketers Category:Cricket commentators Category:Eastern Province cricketers Category:English cricket captains Category:English cricketers Category:English people of South African descent Category:England One Day International cricketers Category:England Test cricketers Category:International Cavaliers cricketers Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Category:Sussex cricket captains Category:Sussex cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:World Series Cricket players